


A Moment in Time

by czern



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Christmas, Halloween, M/M, Noah loves his friends so much, Other, Time Travel, kind of, mentions of child abuse, pynch - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-08-16 02:03:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8082367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/czern/pseuds/czern
Summary: Time doesn't work the same for Noah Czerny as it does for everyone else.Noah visits Adam when he was five.





	1. Play date

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing about the characters from Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle and the first time I've written in a while so please go easy on me and forgive any mistakes.  
> I would love any feedback.  
> Hope you enjoy x

Time doesn't work the same for Noah Czerny as it does for everyone else so he wasn't surprised when he materialised in the past. He wasn't sure how he knew when he was, he just knew. It was a perk of being a ghost on the ley line. 

He knew that he was alive somewhere right now, in this time but didn't know what would happen if he came into contact with himself so he stayed well away from his usual hang outs, just to be safe even though he wasn't sure that the living Noah would even be able to see him.

Instead Noah went for a walk, his energy felt more stable in this time, he felt almost alive. No one bothered him, they probably couldn't even see him. He wasn't quite sure what he should do, his friend's would be young now, Ronan at the barns with his family, Gansey who knows where, Blue at fox way with all the psychics. Noah didn't feel like being examined by the psychics right now, he'd feel too overwhelmed by their presence. Then there was Adam, Noah was sure he would find Adam Parrish at the trailer park he grew up in, so that's where he headed. 

Noah's senses were so vivid that he could feel the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze for what felt like the first time since he died, the heat wasn't as intense as it would have been for the living and the breeze not as refreshing but he would take anything he could get. 

He found his way to the trailer park and walked casually up the driveway, if anyone could see him he wanted to look like he belonged. At first Noah wasn't sure which trailer belonged to the Parrish family, not until he saw a small boy with dusty hair. Five year old Adam Parrish looked much like his older self that Noah is more familiar with, his cheeks slightly more chubby but his facial structure was still very fine. He was still very skinny and looked impossibly tired for a child so young. He sat outside of his home playing with a toy truck that was missing a wheel, making the sounds of the engines. Noah just watched from afar for a few minutes, he wasn't sure why he was here, it just felt right. Watching Adam play he could see that he had bruises along his arms. Noah was filled with a profound sadness, he knew Adam's childhood wasn't easy but seeing it right in front of him was very confronting. Noah just wanted to disappear and take Adam with him. _I could help him_ Noah thought, _take him away from this family and find him somewhere that he would be loved unconditionally, where he could grow up happy_. The thought was quickly pushed aside when Noah considered the impact it would have on his little group of friends. If Adam didn't live this life he'd never get the motivation to push himself past his limits, to attend Aglionby and escape this life. He'd never meet Gansey, he'd never meet Ronan. Adam would never point out Blue to them at Nino's and their little group of friends would never be complete. Ronan would never fall in love with Adam, Blue will never kiss Gansey. Adam is a vital part of their group, possibly the most important. Noah did not want to mess with their fate. He didn't want to change everything. 

Adam pushed his truck through the dirt, totally oblivious to Noah's presence. The boy looked lonely like no child ever should. _If i can't save him I can be his friend_ Noah thought. _Even if it's just for a little while_. 

Noah approached young Adam cautiously, he didn't want to scare him, he wasn't sure Adam would even be able to see him. When he was close enough to the boy he waited to be noticed but Adam just kept playing, oblivious. 

"Hi there." Noah said, gently. He felt surprisingly shy considering that this was just Adam, a five year old Adam who looked up from his truck and stared at Noah with wide eyes, just watching like he was surprised that someone was actually talking to him. The small boy's face turned pink with a blush then he quickly rolled his sleeves down to hide his bruises despite the heat of the day then looked back at Noah. 

"Hello" He said, just as shy as his visitor, his Henriettan accent stronger than Noah had ever heard it. Adam hadn't learned to be embarrassed by his accent yet so there was no attempt to cover it up but he knew to cover his bruises, even at his young age he knew it wasn't right to be covered in bruises. The young boy didn't protest when Noah sat down next to him, legs crossed under him. 

"Are your parents home?" Noah asked, he couldn't hear much noise from inside the trailer but surely even Adam's parents wouldn't leave a five year old at home alone. 

Adam shook his head. "Gone." He said, still pushing his broken truck in the dirt, no longer making sounds. Noah didn't ask where they had gone, he didn't want to know. 

Noah sighed. 

Adam sighed in return, two boys sitting in the dirt, one abandoned by his parents for now, one long dead in a time that wasn't his own. Noah picked up a dirty toy car laying by his foot and pushed it along side Adam's truck. "Want to race?" He asked and made the sound of a revving engine with his mouth, no doubt Ronan would be proud if he was there. Adam's small face seemed to light up at the offer, he nodded eagerly and started making engine sounds of his own to compete with Noah's. Ronan would definitely be proud. Noah drew a start and finish line in the dirt and smiled at Adam. 

"Okay, ready...set..g-" Adam pushed his truck past the starting position with a loud "brrrruuumm" before Noah could say _go_ , the young boy giggled happily at the startled expression on Noah's face. _Ronan would be so proud._

They raced four times and Adam won three times, Noah was sure the kid let him win just once, he wasn't sure if the boy felt sorry for him or just wanted the game to continue. It was starting to get dark out and Noah wondered when Adam's parents would get back.

"When do you think your parents will be home?" Noah asked, Adam just shrugged. 

"Do you want to go inside? It is getting dark." Noah suggested. Adam huffed then pouted but stood up and brushed the dirt off his pants then pointed to the door of the trailer. There was a handle that would be easily reached by a boy Adam's size but a latch much higher. 

"I can't reach." Adam said quietly, like he was telling Noah a secret. Noah realised that the boy wasn't playing with a broken toy because he wanted to, but because he was locked out and no one was home to let him in. The feeling of sadness returned for Noah, he desperately wanted to take Adam away from here.

Noah stood up and dusted his own legs off then sighed. Adam sighed in return and watched as Noah easily reached the latch and opened the door for him. 

Adam looked relived and scrambled inside, leaving the door open for Noah to follow. 

By the time he was inside Adam had pulled some cold left over pizza from the fridge and was munching on it. He offered some to Noah and shrugged when the older boy only shook his head. 

Noah sat down at a small table and admired a painting Adam had done at school, his fingers running over the pained lines of the tree. The green paint of the leaves were mixed with green glitter that gave them a nice shimmer even in the dull light of the trailer. 

"Glitter." Noah said happily. 

"No." Adam said, having moved over to sit next to his new friend. Noah looked at him puzzled. 

"It's glitter. I like glitter." Noah murmured.

"They're sparkles." Adam corrected and pointed at his tree. 

"I did that." He said, proud to be showing off his work. 

"It's very good, I like it." Noah said, hoping it wasn't the first time Adam's artwork was praised. The young boy smiled happily then finished his pizza before wiping his mouth with his hand. When he was done eating Adam stared at Noah, was he noticing that there was something weird about the boy for the first time?

Noah didn't have much time to wonder before the boy's small hands were on his face, his touch so gentle. Adam didn't seem to notice the cold of his skin, too focused on the dark smudge under his eye. 

"Did your daddy do that?" Adam asked, his eyebrows drawn together. 

"Looks hurt."

Noah simply shook his head. "No, no. I fell down." He said, not exactly sure how else to explain his death to a child. One day Adam would understand. 

Adam sighed and took his hand off Noah's face. 

Noah sighed in return, he could feel himself fading. What ever was amplifying his energy earlier was gone now and he knew he wouldn't be able to stay much longer. 

"I have to go soon." He said to Adam who watched Noah with a disappointed look on his face "Okay." Adam said with a pout but accepted that his new friend couldn't stay.

"Will you come and play with me again?" Adam asked shyly, not meeting Noah's eyes. Noah nodded and ruffled Adam's hair gently.

"We'll see a lot more of each other." Noah assured the boy.

"You're going to get out of here one day." Noah whispered, promised. 

"You're going to have friends that love you and you're going to change their lives."

Adam just smiled and nodded slightly. Noah was barely there, he could hear Adam's parents returning and see the tension that appeared on Adam's face. Noah didn't need to tell Adam to stay strong, he knows how this story ends. Adam is strong. 

Noah disappeared. 

 

The next time Noah sees Adam he is back in Adam's present, sometimes Noah got confused about when or where he was but he knows that this was Adam's now. He was at Monmouth Manufacturing, Adam and Ronan were bickering about something, they weren't together like that, not yet but they sound like an old married couple. Noah wasn't sure if Adam even realised how Ronan feels about him yet but there is still plenty of time for them to discover each other, their story is only just beginning. When Adam realised Noah was there something in his face changed, like a long forgotten memory was brought to the surface. Noah blushed shyly, Adam raised an eyebrow and shrugged it off like it was just another one of Noah's quirks. They didn't need to speak about it, they both knew, it's something between them, just a moment in time that they shared.

"I just think you need to stop racing." Adam continued his argument with Ronan who only shrugged him off. Noah wished he could show Ronan how Adam loved to race his toy cars. _Ronan would have been proud._


	2. Trickle Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah takes Adam Trick or treating.

The first time Noah visited a young Adam Parrish he didn't intend for it to become a regular thing. It was only ever going to be the one time, but the second time he found himself in Adam's childhood he felt drawn towards Adam. 

This time it was Halloween, there were children in costumes roaming the streets around Adam's trailer park but not many seemed to go inside it in search of candy. Noah followed along the dirt driveway towards the Parrish family's trailer. When he arrived little five year old Adam was sitting on the step with a dusty sheet over his head with uneven eye holes cut out of it. As far as ghost costumes went Adam's was pretty sorry looking, not that Noah would ever ruin his fun.

When Adam saw Noah walking towards him he jumped off his step and put his sheet covered arms in the air "BOO!" he shouted. Noah put his hand on his chest and let out a playful gasp. 

"A ghost!?" He said, trying his best not to let his voice shake with a laugh and to look genuinely frightened for the benefit of the boy. Adam giggled and lifted the sheet from his head. "No ghost. It's just me. Adam" He said, clearly happy to see his friend again. 

Noah laughed. "Well, that's a very good costume." He said and gently ruffled Adam's hair. 

"It's Halloween." The small boy said happily. "Where's your costume?" He asked, looking Noah up and down. Noah shrugged. "I'm a ghost too, only I don't need a sheet." He explained and winked playfully, one day Adam would understand. Noah is usually very shy about the fact that he is a ghost but something about this young boy set him at ease. 

"You're silly." The boy giggled and took Noah by the hand, he was either ignoring the cold that radiated from Noah or didn't notice it. 

"Are your parents home?" Noah asked and sighed when Adam shook his head. 

"I was supposed to go trickle treating." The boy huffed.

"You mean trick or treating?" Noah asked with the fondest smile. Adam nodded "Trickle treating." He agreed. "I knocked there and there but they ignored me." He mumbled, pointing to his two closest neighboring trailers. Noah couldn't help thinking about how many other times Adam has been ignored by his neighbors, they had to know how the boy was treated. Why would no one say anything to help this child? 

"Well, we'll have to prank them later." Noah joked, having no intention of corrupting Adam into a life of Halloween pranks at the tender age of five. Adam giggled and nodded in agreement. 

"Let's go find some candy then." Noah said and picked up a plastic jack o lantern bucket for candy that was laying by Adam's feet. Adam pulled his sheet back over his head and adjusted it so he could see through the eye holes then let Noah lead him out of the trailer park. They walked slower than Noah usually would, Adam had little legs and wouldn't be able to keep up with the light on his feet ghost. Adam instinctively trusted Noah and followed him to a street that was full of children in various scary costumes knocking on doors, this seemed like a good place to start. They went up to the first house and Noah pressed the button for the doorbell, it only took a moment for a tall man with graying hair to answer. 

"BOO!" Adam shouted, the man faking a scare for the child's benefit. 

"Trickle treat!" Adam said happily, satisfied that his sheet was scary. The man dropped some candy into their bucket, making direct eye contact with Noah who blushed, he wasn't expecting to be seen. It was Halloween, people were expecting to see strange things so that might make an actual ghost visible to them. 

"Thank you." Noah said.

"Thank you mister" Adam said, his Henriettian accent thick. Noah lead Adam back down to the street and along to the next house where they continued their quest for candy. 

By the time they were at the end of the first street Noah was just as into the trick or treating as Adam was. The boy had shouted "Boo!" At every person who opened a door for them. Noah found it endlessly entertaining to hear Adam's giggles as they played scared and let him recite his "trickle treat." Most people just assumed Noah was the boy's older brother and gave enough candy for both of them, even though Noah would never eat any of it. _More for Adam_

They had collected a decent amount of candy so started heading back to the trailer park before it got too dark and quiet. Adam grew noticeably quieter as they got closer to his home, he held Noah's hand tightly as they walked up the driveway. When they arrived at Parrish family's trailer Adam's parents still weren't home. They let themselves inside and Noah watched as Adam ate a handful of candy, chewing happily while offering some to Noah who took a few pieces and put it in his pocket. He promised he would eat it later.

They found themselves in Adam's room, both boys laying back on Adam's tiny bed. Noah looked around, the room lacked the fun of a child's room, not many toys or decorations. _No magic_. There was a pile of children's books on a small shelf that looked like they had been read a million times and the painting with the glitter tree was now taped on the wall. The painting looked like it had been torn down the middle and taped back together, Noah felt a rush of sadness as he pictured Adam trying to show his dad the picture he was so proud of just to have him snap and rip it in two. 

_Adam deserves to be loved. Adam will be loved. Adam will leave here and he won't look back._

Noah was drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of Adam blowing. 

"What're you doing?" He asked. The boy took a moment to reply, focused on his task. 

"Trying to make a bubble." He said, opening his mouth to show some chewed up gum that he had gotten while trick or treating. 

"The big kids at school said I was too little to do it." He huffed. Noah laughed, _determination will be a quality Adam Parrish possesses regardless of his age_. 

Noah talked him through the steps he needs to do to successfully blow a bubble and cheered when he blew his first one. 

"Now you can show all those kids that you can do what ever you like." Noah said as Adam kept practising. Noah was aware that his energy was fading, he wouldn't be here much longer. Before he faded completely he helped Adam hide what was left of his candy, just in case his parents got mad at him. 

He was still present as Adam was falling asleep, he wasn't visible but he was there and he knew Adam could feel him there still. By the time Adam fell asleep Noah was gone. 

 

~

Back at Monmouth Manufacturing Adam was sitting on a couch with his arm around Blue, they were listening to Gansey outline their next move on the hunt for Glendower. He watched and smiled proudly as Adam absentmindedly blew a bubble with the gum that was in his mouth, a habit that Noah had never noticed before but the others just seemed to accept as something so naturally Adam. 

Noah noticed Ronan sitting on Gansey's desk, his feet on the desk chair. He was frowning and had his arms crossed over his chest. He was too obviously trying not to look at Adam and Blue. Of course Noah knew that Ronan and Adam would soon admit their feelings for each other but they didn't know that yet. 

Noah approached Ronan and took the candy out from his pocket, it still looked like new thanks to the magic of the ley line and offered it to Ronan who just raised an eyebrow at him. 

"Where did this come from?" He asked. 

"Trick or treating with Adam." Noah whispered. Ronan shook his head the way he does when he doesn't believe what he has been told but accepted that Noah was just a little bit weird. 

"Thanks." He said as he pulled at the wrapper. Ronan's mood seemed to improve a bit with the sugar running through his system. He nudged Noah with his elbow lightly. 

"Halloween is months away." He said then went to join the others. The ghost boy just shrugged, time doesn't work the same for Noah Czerny as it does for everyone else. 


	3. Presents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah spreads some Christmas joy.

It was Christmas Eve, when he was alive Christmas was one of Noah's favourite times of the year. Since Adam had woken the ley line Noah felt more alive than he had since he had died. He found himself in other times and places more often and sometimes he could even control it. He had plans to make a gingerbread house with Ronan at Monmouth Manufacturing but instead found himself in a time where Ronan wouldn't be anywhere near the factory.

Adam's parents were at home when Noah arrived at the trailer park so Noah peeked into their trailer from outside, the Parrish home was bare of any Christmas decorations unlike many of the other trailers Noah had passed on his way in, he sighed to himself when he realised that Adam didn't get the same Christmas joy as other children did each year. It wasn't fair that Adam had to live this life to become the person he is meant to be. Noah didn't want to go inside, not with Adam's parents at home and awake so he walked away, he didn't want to risk getting the boy in trouble.

Noah didn't know how long he had been walking for, time wasn't really something he had to consider much as a ghost but when he finally started paying attention to where he was again he found himself at an all too familiar home. The Czerny family home. Noah knew that this could be potentially dangerous for him, that ley line magic is unpredictable but now that he was here he couldn't not go inside.  
Silently he found his way into the home he grew up in and looked around, it was exactly as he remembered it. He knew exactly where each member of his family would be right now. The living, breathing Noah was in the living room watching a Christmas film with the rest of the Czerny family, happily enjoying his time away from Aglionby Academy. Ghost Noah only allowed himself to look in on them for just a moment before forcing himself to turn away. The Christmas spirit was alive in this house, as it was every other year and it shattered Noah to see the contrast between this Christmas and Adam's Christmas. Noah's emotions got too much for him and he felt the whole world go fuzzy, all he could hear was white noise, the tightness in his chest almost unbearable.

~

When things cleared for Noah again he was walking down the driveway of Adam's trailer park again, he didn't remember the walk back from his family home or anything that happened in between but it wasn't unusual for the ghost to find gaps in his memory. He looked to his hand and was surprised to see he was holding a small stuffed bear. He knows this bear, it was his. He can remember receiving it as a small child and cherishing it. The bear was white and had a red bow around it's neck, Noah can vividly remember feeling like he was too old for the stuffed toy and hiding it in a shoebox under his bed, but here it is now, in his hand. Noah thought he must have been on autopilot and had retrieved the bear and was sure he was meant to give it to Adam. By the time Noah has arrived back at Adam's trailer everyone inside is asleep, it doesn't take much for a ghost to sneak inside and into Adam's tiny room without waking his parents.  
Five year old Adam was curled up and sleeping soundly and Noah didn't want to wake him up so he watched him sleep for just a few moments. Ronan would probably say he was creepy but Noah just wanted to appreciate the quiet moment of peace this sad young boy had. Finally, Noah approached Adam and placed the stuffed bear next to him and silently wished him a merry Christmas. Before he could fade away, back to the time he belongs Noah admired the glittery painting still taped to Adam's wall. He felt his energy fading, he felt himself being pulled back to his rightful time and place but before he went he reached out and carefully plucked the painting off the wall, taking it with him.

~

Noah groaned, Ronan had started building the gingerbread houses without him, Gansey was at his desk fussing over his journal and Ronan was constructing the gingerbread, headphones on and slightly bobbing his head along to the music. Noah joined him and gently took the headphones off of Ronan's head, he didn't startle so Noah assumed that he must have sensed that he was there.  
"You started without me." Noah said, forcing all the disappoint into his voice that he could muster up. Ronan laughed and slung an arm around his shoulders.  
"You weren't here and I needed the distraction from Gansey's Glendower rambling." He said, Gansey grumbling a bored reply from his desk as Noah nodded and started helping put the houses together. They worked mostly in silence until they were almost finished, when Noah was satisfied with the gingerbread he tapped on Ronan's shoulder.  
"Can you help me?" He asked.  
"With what?" Ronan hummed, licking some crumbs from his fingers.  
"A present. For Adam." Noah said, eagerness in his voice.  
"Parrish doesn't want anything for Christmas." Ronan said with a sigh, they all knew how reluctant Adam Parrish is about taking presents.  
"He'll like this one." Noah assured, and that was all it took for Ronan to agree.

~

Noah knocked politely on the door of Adam's room at St. Agnes and waited impatiently for him to open the door. Adam looked like his usual tired self but seemed to perk up when he saw that it was Noah at his door.  
"Oh. Hello." He said and checked to see if any of the others had joined Noah before inviting the ghost inside.  
"Sorry about the mess." Adam said, gesturing to the room that didn't look that messy at all compared to the boys that inhabited Monmouth.  
"Ronan said to bring you this." He said, offering a chocolate bar to Adam. The tired boy smiled fondly and accepted it, looking it over for a moment before setting it aside for later. Noah wondered if Adam has worked out that Ronan has feelings for him yet. Adam's eyes lingered on the wrapped gift Noah was also carrying and raised his eyebrows suspiciously.  
"I told them not to get me anything." He said, frowning a little as Noah lifted the gift and examined it. "This?" He asked and shrugged.  
"It's not from them. It's from me." Noah said happily. When Noah and Ronan were picking out wrapping paper for Adam's gift Ronan rolled his eyes when Noah picked out a roll of glittery green paper but trusted him to make the choice.  
Adam hesitated before taking the gift from Noah who watched him expectantly.  
"Open it." Noah said after a few moments of silence between the pair.  
"Okay." Adam said then carefully unwrapped his glittery present, revealing a frame with a painting inside. Adam didn't immediately recognise the tree that he had painted as a child but he recognised the name painted in the corner, the way he had signed his name when he was first learning how letters were formed, then he saw that the painting had been torn down the middle and carefully taped back together and the memories started coming back to him. On the lower edge of the frame there was an engraving that read  _friendship_.  
"Noah...I...how?" Adam asked, lost for words.  
"I'm a ghost." Noah replied simply, like it explains everything perfectly. Noah couldn't quite read the emotion on Adam's face and started to get nervous, what if the bad memories associated with the painting were too much? But he knew Adam had been so proud, he even taped it to his wall.  
"Don't you like it?" Noah whispered, he wanted to leave when Adam laid the painting down on his bed, feeling like he had failed at what was supposed to be a kind gesture but was glad he didn't when the boy pulled him into a hug, disregarding the cold that radiated from his body.  
"I love it." Adam said.

Noah and Adam had sat together on the bed in Adam's room in St. Agnes for what could have been hours, talking quietly while Adam ate his chocolate bar about the times Noah visited a young Adam. What Adam didn't remember Noah filled in for him, resulting in a few embarrassed laughs from him.  
"I really shouldn't be surprised that you were my imaginary friend." Adam said as he finished eating his chocolate and tossed the wrapper towards the trash can. Noah just shrugged shyly.  
"Thank you." Adam said and put an arm around Noah.  
"For everything." Noah smiled, it really didn't seem like much to him but it was clearly important to Adam. 

"This isn't the first time I've given you a present. I just got back from leaving you one of my stuffed bears." Noah explained and frowned when Adam got up and started rummaging through his things. "I..I thought my dad left it for me." Adam said, speaking more to himself than to Noah who was watching him with curiosity. A satisfied huff marked Adam finding what he was looking for and he turned around to show Noah a small stuffed bear, looking a little more worn and dirty than Noah remembered but it had clearly been loved a lot, more than Noah could have ever hoped. He was glad that he could be the friend that Adam needed, he wished that he could have done more, but doing too much would have changed things too much and Adam would never have become the person he is today, he would have never found the place he truly belongs.

And the rest is history, everything in between is just a moment in time.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I really hope you enjoyed it. I was hesitant to write this but the idea of Noah and Adam sharing these moments together wouldn't leave my head until I forced it out. I would love any feeback you have about the story. 
> 
> Again, thank you for reading.


End file.
